[THE INVESTOR] The fund for the victims of Japan’s sex slavery during World War II plans to offer each of its survivors 100 million won ($89,500) and the families of the deceased victims 20 million won in cash benefits, Seoul officials said Thursday.

The decision came one day after Japan’s Cabinet approved the transfer of 1 billion yen ($9.9 million) pledged under the two countries’ Dec. 28 settlement intended to end the disputes.

Seoul has since set up the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation, a public-private entity, to hear the wants and needs of the victims and their guardians, and design relevant programs with the goal of helping them “regain honor and dignity and heal the wounds in their hearts.”

As of end-2015, 245 women are registered as sex slavery victims, with 46 of them remaining alive.

“The foundation will survey individual demands and provide the funds based on them,” Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said.

Yet controversy persists as some victims remain fiercely resistant to the agreement. While most of them have displayed consent to the deal, some opponents are refusing even to meet with the foundation officials, according to ministry officials.

The two nations are also at odds over the nature of the money, with Korea viewing it as de facto compensation for the atrocities and Japan reportedly seeking to allot it from its development assistance funds.

The planned cash disbursements are set to obscure the organization’s future sustainability. Seoul initially said the funds would also be spent for commemoration projects but now appears to be expecting to distribute them all to the victims and virtually close the foundation.

By Shin Hyon-hee/The Korea Herald ()